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Exit guide

Taking a dog or cat out of Portugal

Exit rules verifiedLimited official guidanceChecked 2026-10-10Authority: Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary

The steps the authorities in Portugal require before your pet leaves, mostly the health certificate and who has to sign or endorse it. The destination adds its own requirements on top: pick it below, or make a dated plan.

Limited official guidance. Directorate-General for Food and Veterinary publishes little for this route. Everything it does say is here, with its wording. DGAV's page gives no fixed deadline or fee: the destination's requirements, which DGAV lists country by country in its Certific@+ system, decide what you need.

The steps

  1. Official stamp

    Request the certificate in DGAV's Certific@+ system and collect the paper original

    Applies when: you do not travel to any EU country, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City

    To get the certification the destination requires, use DGAV's Certific@+ system, where you have to register. Information about the health conditions required is also there, and you don't need to register to read it. After the certificate is issued, you must go to the DGAV office you are told to, to collect the health certificate: the paper document is essential for the trip.

    Details and the official words

    DGAV's page gives no deadline for how recent the certificate must be: the destination's own requirements decide.

    “Para obtenção da certificação exigida, deve utilizar um sistema informático denominado Certific@+”

    “após emissão do certificado, será necessário que se desloque ao Serviço da DGAV que lhe for indicado”

    “(documento em suporte físico essencial para a viagem)”

Good to know

  • DGAV says its information is not exhaustive: the destination's health authorities can change their rules without notice. Plan ahead, because the destination may have to be consulted and that can take time.When: You do not travel to any EU country, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City
  • In most cases the trip needs certificates issued in Portugal. For some countries only official involvement in the animal's own documents is needed, and for a few no official involvement at all. DGAV has a page per destination and species where you can confirm which applies.When: You do not travel to any EU country, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City
  • Ask the transport company about the way your pet will be carried: the carrier's rules are separate.When: You do not travel to any EU country, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City
  • Planning to bring your pet back to the EU? After a short stay in a non-EU country you can skip the 3-month wait after the rabies blood test, but only if, before you leave the EU, your pet was vaccinated against rabies, passed a successful titer test, and your vet recorded both in its EU pet passport. So do the blood test before you go.When: You do not travel to any EU country, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City

Where are you taking your pet?

Routes from Portugal where we cover both sides.